Musical wristwatch toy

ABSTRACT

A toy wristwatch containing a wind-up music box which drives the hour hand. Molded plastic components are contrived to form a simple assembly including a watch case contoured to fit the wrist and provide a sound chamber in which the music box is disposed in a particular angular orientation and spacing for acoustic and wind-up purposes by a combination mounting and resonating panel having snap-fit engagement therein, other molded components interfitting with the case structure to complete the assembly including wrist bands secured in a seated condition by the resonating panel.

- United States Patent I 1151 3,706,156

Thornell. 1 1 Dec. 19,1972

[54] MUSICAL WRISTWATCH TOY Primary Examinr-Louis G. Mancene [72] Inventor: Ernest Laverne Thornell, Horicon, Assistant B Culling 1 AttorneyCallard L1v1ngston [73] Assignee: warlin Toy Products, Inc., Horicon, [57] ABSTRACT A toy wristwatch containing a wind-up music box [221 Feb-22,1972 which drives the hour hand. Molded plastic com- [21] A N 227,881 ponents are contrived to form a simple assembly including a watch case contoured to fit the wrist and [52] U S Cl 46/175 R 46/180 provide a sound chamber in which the music box is [51] Int Cl A63h 5/00 disposed in a particular angular orientation and spac- [58] Field o r sgrch ..46/175, 180, 189, 191 for amustic and PUPes by a tion mounting and resonating panel having snap-fit en- [56] References Cited gagement therein, other molded components interfitting with the case structure to complete the asv UNITED ST PATENTS sembly including wrist bands secured in a seated con- 2,252,290 8/1941 Konikoff ..46/l75 R dltm" by the rewnatmg PaneL 2,570,740 10/1951 Wise 3,529,378 9/1970 Kinberg ..46/l75 R p 16 (1181111818 D'awmg Figures FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS v 734,157 5/1966 Canada FIG. 2 with parts shown in elevation 1 MUSICAL WRISTWATCII TOY The disclo'suresafford a novelty toy in the form of a musical wristwatch utilizing a highly miniaturized music box mechanism housed in a simulated wristwatch comprising an assembly of economically molded plastic components interiitting in a simple manner to define a simulated watch case also constituting a tone chamber from which project yieldable wrist bands and a limited rim portion of an oversized winding disc from which power is derived by gear means to turn the simulated minute hand'of the watch.

Detailed aspects of the novel features 'of construction and operation of apreferred'embodiment of the device are set out in view of the annexed drawing in which:

FIG..1 is a perspective view of the toy watch;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof with'parts broken away and shown in section;

I FIG. 2-A is a perspective detail of one of the wrist bands seen in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the interior of the casing;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the resonating panel with music box mechanism interfitted therewith;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of one side of the winding disc;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to FIG. 7 is a composite perspective view of relate components.

As depicted in FIG. 1, the assembly comprises a watch casing 10 of molded plastic material having generally curved configuration including particularly a concavely curved back wall portion 11 (FIG. 2 also) adapted to fit the contour of the wrist.

Projecting from the inner to the exterior side of the curved back wall are two curved bracelet or wrist band elements 13 and 14 of identical molded configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 2-A, and each including afree end portion 14A and an opposite wider interlock portion 148 adapted to be secured within the casing in conjunction with certain sound panel means to be described.

The external aspects of the assembly are completed by the provision of a watch dial member 16 of particularly curved configuration to interfit with and close the sound chamber of the casing, said dial member including particularly curved marginal configurations 16A fitting in closing relation with the casing and a complementary transparent cover member in the manner shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, this cover member being secured by means such as sonic welding to the case margins. v

Rotatable hour and minute hands 17 and 18, FIGS. 1 and 7, are supported by the dial and cover assembly, the minute hand having on its innerend (FIG. 7) a driven pinion 18A and a short spindle portion 183 at its opposite end to fit into the bore 178 of an extended knob portion 17A of the hour hand; v v

The aforesaid pinion on the minute hand rotates in a bore formed centrally'in the dial plate with the gear teeth exposedon the inner face of said plate for driving coaction with gear means 19B on the winding disc. The hour hand is joumalled by its bore 178 on the projecting spindle end 188 of the minute hand, the knob extension 17A projecting through a bore 208 in the transparent cover plate to the exterior of the latter, as in FIG. 6, far enough to be grasped and turned by the fingers.

The minute hand 18 is driven by power derived from the music box motor through the intermediary of a winding disc 19 of enlarged diameter, FIGS. 5 and 7, having a cavity 19A formed on the underside thereof in which is a driving gear 198 disposed by the special orientation of the musicbox to mesh with the minutehand pinion 18A, the disc 19 rotating slowly with the wind-up spindle of the music box motor spring as the latter unwinds. Acircular land 19D on the disc pinion fits into a complementary locating recess 16C on the inside of'the dial piece. I

The music box mechanism 30, FIG. 4, is of known construction and includes a base casting 31, tone drum 32 and tone reeds 33, together with motor means (not detailed) including a'power spring 34 having a winding spindle 35 equipped with a small coupling bar 36 at its exposed end and adapted to interfit with a complementary coupling slot 19C formed on the opposite side of the winding disc from the gear 198. This music box unit is highly miniaturized, measuring approximately I X 3 X 3 centimeters over-all, and has accordingly a comparably low tonal output which requires the provision of an optimal acoustic construction to render the music output reasonably audible.

Accordingly, the casing 10 is conformed to provide a tone chamber of which the bottom is the curved back wall 11, previously referred to, and into which fits a flat plastic resonating panel 40, FIG. 4, formed with snap-in locking lips 41 at opposite ends thereof, together with spaced-apart ridge and upstanding panel and post formations 43 and 44 on the panel, angularly disposed and spaced to receive the margins of the music box base casting 31 and space this unit in a predetermined fixed orientation disposing the winding spindle near one side wall of the casing for coupling interfit with the winding disc slot 19C, as in the assembly of FIG. 6 wherein it is to be observed that the base casting 31 is spaced from the panel 40, and the planar panel itself is spaced in turn from the curved casing back wall 11, this latter panel spacing being achieved by the provisions of spaced post members 48, FIG. 3, formed integrally with the inner face of said back wall and of relative disposition and height to locate the panel 40 in an optimal acoustic condition.

The resonating panel 40 is releasably secured in place by means including the locking lips 41 and cooperative snap-in boss formations 42 on the inner surfaces of the opposite casing end walls overlying elongated band slots 12 through which the wrist bands project.

As viewed in FIG. Z-A, each wrist band at its locking end 148 is provided with an angularly offset tab 14C in which is a post hole 14D, these tabs being flanked at opposite sides by much smaller tabs 14E projecting beyond the margins of the slots 12, said bands being made wider at their locking ends 148 and tapering down slightly toward their free ends 14A so that they may be inserted through slots 12 from the inside of the casing until their respective tabs 14C seat against the inner face of the back wall and lie in corresponding recessed seating formations 15 formed in the latter, as illustrated at the top of FIG. 3 and in the sectionalized view of FIG. 6. When the resonating panel 40 is I snapped home beneath the locking bosses 42 the offset band ends or tabs 14C are captured therebeneath and secured in seated condition.

1 -It will be appreciated that, except for the music box mechanism, the configuration of the molded components is such that the watch structure can be assem- The music box mechanism itself is seated by interfit with the integralorienting formations on the resonating panel, and is still further secured by the overlying dial member, which in turn interfits-with the transparent cover particularly in respect to the opposite angled endwise skirt orflange extensions 16A, E thereof, seen in FIG. 6, both of the dial and cover members also having engagement with the casing.

In such interfit one of the marginal portions 20A of the cover member is relieved to form a disc passage in relation to juxtaposed margins of the casing side wall so that the edge of the over-sized winding disc 19 can protrude from the casing through the disc passage 20X thus formed. i

The operation of the toy is such that in assembled condition turning of the winding disc 19, FIG. 1, winds the motor spring through the bar coupling 348 with the winding spindle, FIGS. 4, 5, and the tone'drum will revolve to actuate the tone reeds, this action being acjecting knob end 17A thereof.

Iclaim: j j

1. A toy musical wristwatch including a casing providing a sound chamber having a top opening defined by side wall formations upstanding from a bottom wall having a concavely curved configuration adapted to fit against the wearers wrist; band means appurtenant to said bottom wall for engagement with the wearers wrist; a dial member interfitting with said casing to close said opening; a minute hand and an hour hand independently coaxially rotatable relative to the dial of said dial member; a miniaturized music box mechanism disposed in said chamber and of a type having a winding spindle exposed at a certain location thereon; a panel and means removably seating the same in said chamber in juxtaposition with said bottom wall and having formations angularly situated for engagem ent with'particular parts of said mechanism to seat the same in a certain orientation of said winding spindle incloser proximity to a particular portion of said side wall formations than to others thereof; a transparent cover member interfitting with said dial members in spaced relation thereto with said hands rotatable therebetween; saidfcover and dial members defining a passage relative to a margin of said particular portion of the sidewall formation; a winding disc engaging said sis:

spindle and of a diameter relative to said chambersuch that in said orientation an edge portion thereof protrudes through said passage exteriorly of the chamber and casing for manual winding action.

2. Thedevice of claim 1 further characterized in that said band means comprises at least one bracelet member curving for engagement with the wearer's wrist as aforesaid and having a free end passed through a slot in said bottom wall, together with an opposite locking end within said chamber and of a width at the latter end preventing passage outwardly through said slot.

3. The construction of claim 2 further characterized in that said slot and said locking end of the bracelet member are disposed in position such that said panel overlies said end to capturethe same in said chamber.

4. The construction of claim 3 wherein said locking end of the bracelet member is provided with tab offset to lie beneath thepanel in the captured relationship aforesaid.

5. The construction of claim 4 wherein the inner face of said bottom wall is provided with a formation defining a seat means for said tab. i

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said means removably seating the panel in said chamber comprises boss and lip formations disposed on said panel and side wall formations at opposite ends of the panel and having snap-in interengagement adapted to secure the panel within the chamber.

7. The construction of claim 1 further characterized by the provision of spaced post formations on the interior of said chamber engaged by said panel to space the same from said bottom wall to serve as a resonating member.

8. The construction of claim 1 further characterized in that said angularly situated formations on the panel comprise integral portions thereof upstanding from the face of the panel to a level for engagement with sidewise margins of said music box mechanism to fix the latter in, said certain orientation.

9. The construction set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that one of said hands is driven by the music box mechanism and has a pinionexposed in said chamber, and said winding spindle rotates as a function of unwinding action to rotate said winding disc, the said disc being provided with a driving gear meshing with said pinion to rotate the appertaining driven hand.

10. The construction of claim 9 wherein the particular one of the hands which is not driven by the disc as aforesaid is free to rotate independently of the driven hand, and said particular one of the hands includesa projection extending exteriorly of said transparent cover for manual grasp to rotate the free hand relative to the dial member.

11. A construction according to claim 1 wherein said dial member and said cover member each have opposite end portions from which project angularly directed apron portions interfittirig with each other in an assembled condition thereof and also interfitting with portions of saidside wall formations in the assembled condition thereof with said casing.

12. In musical toy timepiece, a casing providing a sound chamber having side wall formations subjoining an open top; a dial member defining a closure for said open top and having time indicia thereon; clock hands rotatable relative to said indicia; a wind-up music box mechanism in said chamber having a winding spindle with an end exposed adjacent a particular margin thereof; panel means removably fitted into said chamber mounting said music box mechanism with said particular margin thereof and said exposed end of the spindle in closer proximity to one particular portion of said side wall formations; a circular winding disc engaging said spindle end in such aposition and having such a diameter in relation to the distance across said chamber that it projects over and beyond a marginal part of said side wall formations adjacent said top opening for substantial exposure exteriorly of the casing for manual turning to wind up the music box; and means coupling driving power from said music box mechanism to drive one of said clock hands as a function of playing of the music box.

13. In a musical toy timepiece according to claim 12 coupling means as set forth further characterized in that said coupling means comprises first gear means formed as an integral portion of said disc; second gear means fixed with the clock hand which is driven and meshing with said first gear means, said spindle rotating as a function of playing of the music box.

14. The construction defined in claim 12 wherein the timepiece is a simulated wristwatch and said casing is provided with band means comprising a pair of curving band members each having an inner end portion captured within said casing and an outer portion extending outwardly of said casing with respective free end portions juxtaposed to substantially encircle the wearers wrist, said band member having a freedom of movement for parting of said free end portions to engage and disengage the wrist as aforesaid.

15; in a toy musical wristwatch, a casing adapted to be worn on the wrist, said casing having a bottom wall and surrounding side wall portions defining a chamber; a substantially flat, rigid panel fitting insertibly into said chamber; means spacing said panel such that substantial surface portions of one face thereof are spaced from confronting portions of the inside surface of said bottom wall; wrist-engaging band means emergent from the interior of said chamber through an opening provided therein with inner end portions of the band means exposed in the chamber; band-securing means including portions of said panel respectively engageable with said exposed portions of the band means to secure the latter against dislodgement; a music box mechanism seated on said panel on the side thereof remote from said bottom wall; means on said panel engageable by said mechanism to define one particular position thereof relative to the side wall portions of said chamber; means providing a watch face having time indicia thereon and in overlying relation to said chamber and said mechanism and panel; watch-hand means movable relative to said indicia; a member in said chamber rotated by said music box mechanism and means providing a driving interconnection between said member and a part of said hand means for effecting a movement of the hand means responsive to operation of the music box mechanism.

16. The toy musical wristwatch of claim 15 further characterized in that said band-securing means includes post-like projections engaging in hole means in the respective inner end portions of the band means aforesaid. 

1. A toy musical wristwatch including a casing providing a sound chamber having a top opening defined by side wall formations upstanding from a bottom wall having a concavely curved configuration adapted to fit against the wearers wrist; band means appurtenant to said bottom wall for engagement with the wearer''s wrist; a dial member interfitting with said casing to close said opening; a minute hand and an hour hand independently coaxially rotatable relative to the dial of said dial member; a miniaturized music box mechanism disposed in said chamber and of a type having a winding spindle exposed at a certain location thereon; a panel and means removably seating the same in said chamber in juxtaposition with said bottom wall and having formations angularly situated for engagement with particular parts of said mechanism to seat the same in a certain orientation of said winding spindle in closer proximity to a particular portion of said side wall formations than to others thereof; a transparent cover member interfitting with said dial members in spaced relation thereto with said hands rotatable therebetween; said cover and dial members defining a passage relative to a margin of said particular portion of the side wall formation; a winding disc engaging said spindle and of a diameter relative to said chamber such that in said orientation an edge portion thereof protrudes through said passage exteriorly of the chamber and casing for manual winding action.
 2. The device of claim 1 further characterized in that said band means comprises at least one bracelet member curving for engagement with the wearer''s wrist as aforesaid and having a free end passed through a slot in said bottom wall, together with an opposite locking end within said chamber and of a width at the latter end preventing passage outwardly through said slot.
 3. The construction of claim 2 further characterized in that said slot and said locking end of the bracelet member are disposed in position such that said panel overlies said end to capture the same in said chamber.
 4. The construction of claim 3 wherein said locking end of the bracelet member is provided with tab offset to lie beneath the panel in the captured relationship aforesaid.
 5. The construction of claim 4 wherein the inner face of said bottom wall is provided with a formation defining a seat Means for said tab.
 6. The device of claim 1 wherein said means removably seating the panel in said chamber comprises boss and lip formations disposed on said panel and side wall formations at opposite ends of the panel and having snap-in interengagement adapted to secure the panel within the chamber.
 7. The construction of claim 1 further characterized by the provision of spaced post formations on the interior of said chamber engaged by said panel to space the same from said bottom wall to serve as a resonating member.
 8. The construction of claim 1 further characterized in that said angularly situated formations on the panel comprise integral portions thereof upstanding from the face of the panel to a level for engagement with sidewise margins of said music box mechanism to fix the latter in said certain orientation.
 9. The construction set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that one of said hands is driven by the music box mechanism and has a pinion exposed in said chamber, and said winding spindle rotates as a function of unwinding action to rotate said winding disc, the said disc being provided with a driving gear meshing with said pinion to rotate the appertaining driven hand.
 10. The construction of claim 9 wherein the particular one of the hands which is not driven by the disc as aforesaid is free to rotate independently of the driven hand, and said particular one of the hands includes a projection extending exteriorly of said transparent cover for manual grasp to rotate the free hand relative to the dial member.
 11. A construction according to claim 1 wherein said dial member and said cover member each have opposite end portions from which project angularly directed apron portions interfitting with each other in an assembled condition thereof and also interfitting with portions of said side wall formations in the assembled condition thereof with said casing.
 12. In a musical toy timepiece, a casing providing a sound chamber having side wall formations subjoining an open top; a dial member defining a closure for said open top and having time indicia thereon; clock hands rotatable relative to said indicia; a wind-up music box mechanism in said chamber having a winding spindle with an end exposed adjacent a particular margin thereof; panel means removably fitted into said chamber mounting said music box mechanism with said particular margin thereof and said exposed end of the spindle in closer proximity to one particular portion of said side wall formations; a circular winding disc engaging said spindle end in such a position and having such a diameter in relation to the distance across said chamber that it projects over and beyond a marginal part of said side wall formations adjacent said top opening for substantial exposure exteriorly of the casing for manual turning to wind up the music box; and means coupling driving power from said music box mechanism to drive one of said clock hands as a function of playing of the music box.
 13. In a musical toy timepiece according to claim 12 coupling means as set forth further characterized in that said coupling means comprises first gear means formed as an integral portion of said disc; second gear means fixed with the clock hand which is driven and meshing with said first gear means, said spindle rotating as a function of playing of the music box.
 14. The construction defined in claim 12 wherein the timepiece is a simulated wristwatch and said casing is provided with band means comprising a pair of curving band members each having an inner end portion captured within said casing and an outer portion extending outwardly of said casing with respective free end portions juxtaposed to substantially encircle the wearer''s wrist, said band member having a freedom of movement for parting of said free end portions to engage and disengage the wrist as aforesaid.
 15. In a toy musical wristwatch, a casing adapted to be worn on the wrist, said casing having a bottom wall and surrounding side wall poRtions defining a chamber; a substantially flat, rigid panel fitting insertibly into said chamber; means spacing said panel such that substantial surface portions of one face thereof are spaced from confronting portions of the inside surface of said bottom wall; wrist-engaging band means emergent from the interior of said chamber through an opening provided therein with inner end portions of the band means exposed in the chamber; band-securing means including portions of said panel respectively engageable with said exposed portions of the band means to secure the latter against dislodgement; a music box mechanism seated on said panel on the side thereof remote from said bottom wall; means on said panel engageable by said mechanism to define one particular position thereof relative to the side wall portions of said chamber; means providing a watch face having time indicia thereon and in overlying relation to said chamber and said mechanism and panel; watch-hand means movable relative to said indicia; a member in said chamber rotated by said music box mechanism and means providing a driving interconnection between said member and a part of said hand means for effecting a movement of the hand means responsive to operation of the music box mechanism.
 16. The toy musical wristwatch of claim 15 further characterized in that said band-securing means includes post-like projections engaging in hole means in the respective inner end portions of the band means aforesaid. 